


Red Mist

by AwatereJones



Series: Light Verse [2]
Category: Torchwood
Genre: Alien Invasion, Alt Verse, Comedy, Drama, F/M, Gen, Horror, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-20
Updated: 2018-06-04
Packaged: 2019-05-09 11:33:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 13,633
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14715236
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AwatereJones/pseuds/AwatereJones
Summary: Sequel to Light Behind His Eyes. Six months after the meteor shower...The Red Mist is the pollen from the plants, fired into any strong wind they detect and although we have been diligent in keeping the plants away from our area I'm still afraid a good storm will bring it into our valley. It's also deadly if you breathe it in. ALT VERSE for Eleana666





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Eleana666](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eleana666/gifts).



HOUSEKEEPING UPDATE BY IANTO JONES

It has been six months since it all went to hell in a hand basket.

Huntrall knocked out the power grids. The lizard things called Gergits are often used by the Huntrall as pets. They are like rats. They live in the humid mists. Rhys has thrown himself into caring for the children and feeding everyone. Andy has finally made his feelings known and the two are…exploring a relationship.

Although blind Owen is still contributing and the children see him as theirs. Clyde (8), Dawn (5) and baby Jethro (2) are all sighted. Bonny is a great mom. We have settled into a routine and try to live each day with the hope that this will soon be over, even if we really know deep down that we have time to go yet. We are not even quarter way there until the rescue comes that Jack recalls in his history books from his Agency years. He said it could be three years or more?

Henry does his own thing, mostly sticks to the livestock and despite hoping for something with Bonny it seems she is only invested in her children. I really hope he is happy. A man of few words, hard to know.

The new tunnel house garden we started provides vegetables. Also three extra ones we 'borrowed' from other homesteads are now connected to the house in one long snake, it is considered a 'safe' area for the children to play as the red mist grows closer. We no longer worry about being observed from the skies as the mist makes everything down here one blob.

Yeah. That.

Um.

The Red Mist is the pollen from the plants, fired into any strong wind they detect and although we have been diligent in keeping the plants away from our area I'm still afraid a good storm will bring it into our valley. It's also deadly if you breathe it in. The last radio report on it the other night said it was almost like a red fog, blocking sunlight. Abner is monitoring the airwaves the most these days with Tosh busy with the new sensors we are setting up for wind direction.

Although we have lost contract with some of the other cells we are hopeful it is more a matter of them losing power with the lack of light rather than the alternative. To be more careful, we are not transmitting at the same time each night in case we are being monitored and they are attempting to trace the signals. No they can't see the planet to scan they may try other tricks.

Jack and I are … (Partially rubbed out)… not sure.

I have been trying to learn to knit and although Bonny has tried to be patient I think that patience is waning. I might leave that to Jack, the last little cardigan he made the baby is super sweet. We have a huge wool reserve from the craft cupboards and I am quietly hopeful that the nice thick socks he is currently kitting might be for me. I need some new socks.

Funny the things you miss.

My Coffee is getting low. Tosh has tried to grow some bushes but I don't think it will work, they are fickle. I hope we can go on another recon soon, if only to check further north as there may be some coffee there. Also, to check how close the red mist is getting, I fear it is closer than we think. Of course everyone thinks I am being a worry wart.

I hope that's true. I do seem to be a 'worst case scenario' kinda guy but really they should remember that's what got them out, us here and things happening. Also…I have a terrible toothache and don't want to complain but as our tea is also low it is getting more noticeable. I may have to yank it out.

My hair needs a cut and Tosh said she would when she had time but I think Jack is deliberately making things for her to do until it is dark. He knows I am superstitious and will not have a haircut after dark, or on a full moon. It tickles under my collar as it brushes my neck. When I sweat it gets all clumpy and feels like I have a knitted hat on. If he doesn't stop I will cut the bloody stuff myself and then see how he likes that. It is like he is deliberately trying to ….(Rubbed out with force)

We have a new calf, born the other night and it is black with a white splotch on its head. Owen wanted to call it Bird Turd. I really wonder sometimes. That man. SIGH.

Well. That's all I have to say for this week, feels strange only updating once a week when I used to almost every day but if we are to be here for three years give or take this journal has to last. I can't be greedy and take more when the kids need them too.

.

.

.

.

Ianto considered writing something else, staring at the place where he had scrubbed out his feelings for Jack. It still worried him that Jack sometimes read these entries. He said he didn't but since that time he had Ianto felt…unsafe to leave personal grievances. The fact they hadn't made love in almost a month was starting to grate and he wondered if he was too boring, needy or just plain unattractive.

With a sigh he slid the journal between the mattress and the box brings then rose to walk to the mezzanine level, looking down on the children who were all engrossed in the Lego in the middle of the floor.

The baby was now active and mobile, not a walking toddler but a running one as Ianto had secretly feared given the stimulus of adults around him. Jethro or Roe as he was commonly called was a little shit and was currently stealing as much Lego as he could and shoving it into his nappy.

Still needs to be potty trained.

Ianto headed down to help with the breakfast.


	2. avoidance

"Hey, need any help?"

Andy turned with the toaster in his hand, the three pronged fork still over the flames of the open fire and he nodded, handing it to Ianto them moving to help Rhys with the eggs over on the stove.

They had all decided the bread was nicer toasted like that and this morning it was the left over current buns from yesterday's lunch that were getting a revival. The kids will be pleased. Also, some were sitting by the back door for the kids to take through the tunnel to the barn where their 'pets' would enjoy a sweet treat. Clyde was proving to be quite the little farmer and Abner had noticed little Dawn's ability to find the eggs hidden in the straw of the barn's loft. Bloody chickens needed their wings clipped, all flying up to hide.

Chicken.

Been a while since they had roast chicken and Ianto knew the soup needed a fresh stock so he made a mental note to go observe who was laying. He was sure there were a couple of roosters strutting around that the old Head Rooster was arguing with. No need to keep extra beaks to feed if they were not needed, right?

He pulled the bun off the fork and placed it on the plate in the hearth, the other buns keeping warm so the butter could melt when they sat to eat, another bun on the fork now going in to settle as Ianto pondered some more.

There was a whoosh of cold air as the back door opened and Jack entered, Abner following with soft mutters as they discussed something. Abner put the bucket of milk down with a thud.

"I'm just saying, it might be prudent to begin" Abner said again.

"Look, the well behind the barn has been fully enclosed with the attached shed and the door cut, we will have fresh water from the spring. The mist can't touch that. The stock feed would last us a bloody year with the amount groaning in the stacks and let's not forget those pumpkins. Bloody good score." Jack seemed unwilling to agree to whatever Abner wanted and Ianto turned his head to listen more.

"Boy, I know you want to stay close to the nest but in order to get the fat worms you have to fly distance if you want the chick to grow" Abner barked and Ianto knew it was an argument about the recon he wanted. Damn. He had considered it with Abner a couple of days ago and it seems Abner was ready to field the possibility with Jack.

"No" Jack surprised Ianto and he sat back to watch Jack slump in his chair with a frown.

Ianto felt Jack's gaze fall on him and it felt accusatory so he went back to watching the flames as he considered the reasons why Jack didn't want to leave the house. The most alarming one that he might have remembered something else from those history lessons and was unwilling to share some further catastrophe about to befall them. Probably a fucking meteor hurtling towards them or some shit.

Ianto sighed and turned the bun.

"Can I have one?"

Ianto found Dawn standing by him with hungry eyes and he glanced over to judge the time before the food was ready then nodded. She grabbed one up and raced to the butter they had churned last night, slathering some on and then sitting on the edge of the hearth to eat it with soft hums.

Ianto smiled as he watched her and reached out to brush her hair back "Go get your bush darling, I'll do your hair back in a braid today, yeah? Maybe a ribbon?"

Her face lit up as she rushed to comply and Ianto finished the buns then sat giving her attention as he talked to her about the calf and the kittens due any day. At least the cats kept the mice down.

Jack sat and bored a hole in him.

Ianto tried to pretend he didn't feel it as he cuddled the now pretty little girl with a crown of braids, a kiss as he released her to run and look at herself in the mirror with delight, the red ribbon entwined through her hair.

"You're good at that" Rhys noted.

"Rhiannon" Ianto said, then rose as his delight faded at the memory of his sister sitting on a chair as he did her hair for school when their mother was too sick or beaten to do so. He placed the buns on the table and walked through to call them all to eat then headed for the bathroom to wash his hands.

"You OK?"Owen asked as he entered, not even brushing the doorframe, "You seem a bit distracted."

"Just getting bored" Ianto lied, "Some of those crates left full of tat from work. Nothing much left of use, thinking the kids light like to play with them for the day. Mostly music chimes and stuff, and those silly goggles and such."

"If Jack says the good stuff is gone and nothing is dangerous I say go for it. They are well bored and until you do another recon they have nothing new to stimulate them."

"Will you ask about that?"

"You still doing that?"

"He is."

Owen sighed as he left the room. Even a blind man can see there is trouble brewing there.


	3. a goggle with it all

3

Ianto sat in the back of the barn plucking the chickens as he listened to the children playing in the tunnel. It was a tunnel day. They had decided that every second day the children would try to limit themselves to the house and tunnel, like a drill for the mist so if and when it came they would not miss the freedom so much. Henry was with them, the silent watcher as always.

One chicken was already hanging plucked and ready for the pot, another still feathered at his feet and one being plucked as Ianto stared into space and pondered the level of sugar.

"You put that in his head?"

Ianto jumped, unusually caught off guard as Jack stood in front of him with that glare he had more commonly as of late.

"We were talking about supplies, yes. I was just this minute thinking the sugar is almost gone." Ianto said as calmly as he could.

"Then we use molasses or something" Jack folded his arms, "Some maple syrup still."

"Not as good with the sweet breads the kids like and when that runs out what do we do?" Ianto finished the chicken for the roasting pan and reached for its brother, two needed for a nice roast meal.

"They will learn to adapt"

"And when we have to kill Bird Turd? In twelve months or so they will be attached and he will be fat." Ianto answered, "We should never have told them it could be theirs. Not if we are living off what we have from now on without recons."

"We as in me" Jack snorted.

"We as in we" Ianto noting himself getting aggressive with the plucking and he chastised himself, slowing the motions again as two half grown kittens leapt and played with the fluttering feathers.

"I don't want to go" Jack said sullenly.

"I do" Ianto replied with more gentleness than he felt Jack deserved, "If you don't want to go fine. Don't. Me and Toshi can. Or maybe Rhys."

Jack blinked, "You would go with someone else. We gonna pick sides?"

"Would rather not but there ya go, this is where we becomes you" Ianto sighed, "Jack can you even hear what you just said."

Ianto sat back and looked up at Jack seeing the confusion on the older man's face, "Jack I don't know what is going on here, I am trying to be patient while you work it out but of you keep pushing and snapping I will retreat. I will take the hint that you have grown bored with me and I will move downstairs so you can have some peace. If I am so disagreeable you seek me out to needle me then clearly you are fed up with me."

There.

Gods, he can't believe he just said it.

Jack's mouth opened but nothing came out, his confusion now clear and Ianto rose, finishing the bird's neck to where he would chop the head from it, wobbling broken from the savage twist that had taken its life. He took the birds over to the block, chopping off the feet and heads and then left them to the cats who were already fighting with the heads with open kitty madness.

He walked out through the tunnel well aware that Jack had not followed him without even noticing the children dancing around, Jack had not tried to argue or explain himself. Ianto wasn't sure if it was a good thing or not, then felt that weight in his heart as the voice in his head whispered maybe Jack didn't have the energy to fight for him.

"Lovely" Rhys crowed as he saw the chickens, reaching for them and placing one in the boiling pot. The other two were placed aside to be stuffed for the evening meal and Ianto headed upstairs to their bedroom, staring at the bed with sorrow.

Jack liked his own space, this is why they had never shared a home, or so he had told Ianto. Ianto wondered if he was annoying to sleep with, Lisa never complained. He walked over and sat on the bed, his hand reaching under to pull out his journal which he stared at, then he dropped it in a box.

He then sighed and told himself he was doing it again. Reacting like a bloody child when he was a fill grown man with a fucking right to have is say and he took the book back out of the box to place under the bed again, seeing those goggles. He picked them up and looked through them into the room then lowered them as he tried to recall the file on them.

.

.

.

.

"Owen?" Ianto called as he entered the barn, Owen sitting on a bale of straw as he petted a cat.

"What have ya done now?" he sighed, "You and Jack finally come to blows?"

"Fuck you too" Ianto said amicably as he sat knowing the children were not there, "These goggles under the bed…"

"With the condoms and the sex toys?"

Ianto stopped talking, staring at Owen for a moment as something stirred in the back of his mind and he lowered the goggles to blink, refocus on the task at hand, "These goggles. From Ansrometricols. These are lizard people who can't live in bright light so have goggles for when they visit planets with bright suns. They are little computers that assess the image and send it back. Like…a wifi device."

Owen shrugged.

"Owen have you tried them on?" Ianto hissed, "They are psychedelic to me. Not for seeing with your eyes, they pulse in your mind right? Through the straps?"

Owen reached for them with interest.


	4. Storm in a tea cup

Owen was walking slowly, hesitant steps like he was walking on the moon or something and the kids stopped playing to watch him goose step past with his hands out. Henry continued to whittle like nothing was happening, not much phased the ex-UNIT man these days. Not after what he had seen.

Owen stumbled inside and began to move in a slow circle around the kitchen, his face changing as she moved towards the fire and reached for a chair, pulling it over to sit and look into the flames.

"Wow, they're green with these" he said softly.

"Holy shit, he can see with them?" Andy gasped as he caught on to what was happening.

"Yeah, not like us. Their tones are mixed so…like the grass is blue and the sky is green kinda thing. We need to see if we can shuffle the tones and colour palettes or something until we get some that make sense" Ianto nodded.

"Wow" Owen's face was glowing as he turned to them looking like some weird Steampunk Gimp. His goggles were like swimming goggles with a goldish tint to the lenses that hid his eyes, just the eyebrows moving as he looked at them.

"Tell me I look thinner" Rhys said, "Go on."

"Ianto?" Owen stood, looking at him intently, "Holy shit. Ianto? You're different to Rhys and Andy. Your colours are all….wow."

"Andy and Rhys are a couple, stands to reason that they are similar. You will probably find me and Jack similar too. Sleeping together and such, we will mix" Ianto shrugged.

"Mix what?" Jack demanded as he entered and Owen took a physical step back with a squeak, hitting the table.

"It's OK Owen. That's what Jack looks like" Ianto said softly, "That golden glow is always there"

"Shit. Almost like he's on fire, golden flames. Like you" Owen replied and Jack's face changed as he looked at Ianto and Owen added, "But he's gold and you are like…golden red. Like a rose gold or something. Wow."

"Welsh" Ianto said quickly, "Dragon blood."

Laughter as everyone relaxed and Ianto went to move past Jack, leaning in to whisper "I do love you even when you are a complete and utter prick. Always Cariad. You are golden to me too."

Jack swung and watched Ianto walking off, then sighed and followed up the stairs to their room where Ianto was waiting and he pulled the door shut as he finally had Jack in a place where they could talk.

"Right, I think we need to be Grups and stop with the chewing on things" Ianto said as he stood in front of the door so Jack wouldn't swan off, "I feel like you don't want me around you, like I have somehow irritated you or shit in your porridge or something. NO! I am speaking, you will get your turn. Earlier today I came up here to pack my things, I really was going to move down and give you space. Did you realise that?"

Jack reared back as he took a breath and Ianto knew he was going to speak so he pushed ahead.

"I love you. I know we don't say it but I do and it tears me apart when you push me aside. If there is a problem we have to talk it over. Owen is down there so excited that he has sight, not the same but something. We are up here because I watched your face, your problem so immense that you can't even register that Owen can see."

Jack blinked, then turned to look over the railing at the man walking around the main room touching everything.

"Jack are you pregnant? Or scared that you might become pregnant now there is no birth control?" Ianto asked, "Because you know…if you are not, I can bottom until we sort out your cycling if you don't want a baby. If you are pregnant or think you might be you need to know that I do want one."

Jack walked over and sat on the bed, running his hands on his pants.

"There is no birth control in the rain, only poison" he said after a while, "I am cycling and fertile. I do not think I am but with our coupling I will fall I think. We are so compatible."

"So. The only thing we need to sort out is if you want to or not. If not, we have enough to fuss over and I will accept it. After all, hell of a world to bring one into. Also you would be vulnerable, I get that. On the other hand, if you do want one I would be … well. Pleased doesn't even touch it really"

Jack let out a puff of air.

"Feel silly now?" Ianto asked gently, "Been stomping around like a bear with a sore head and even the kids think I've done something wrong ya twat."

"Ianto…I know we don't have to say the words but I do love you too, so bloody much" Jack pulled him in and held him tightly as he relaxed, seeing now how stupid he had been to think even for a second that Ianto might be repulsed by his body.

He was right.

What a twat.


	5. sight

Owen hadn't noticed the interaction, still too excited to have some sembelance of sight and Tosh was working on the spare pair from the box as Owen stedfastly refused to give up the pair he had on in case she broke them.

Abner watched Ianto who was heading out to check the stock and he followed, stepping lightly across the tunnel to find him in the barn again. Ianto was measuring out feed for the horses.

"You two sort it?"

"Yeah. He wanted to talk to me about something and was worried I might be annoyed or alarmed. In holding it in he was being a twat. Now I've told him he was being silly and I was ready to listen he now feels awful and I want us to just let it go" Ianto sighed, "Give him an hour or so to shake it off. I wish there were ways to just read each other's mind. Then know."

"I know" Abner snorted, "It's never easy. Can do your head in trying to think for yourself as well as everyone else."

"I know I try too hard, I know I don't have to tie myself in so many knots but you know it's my nature to be a bloody worry wart" Ianto frowned as he stroked a horse's muzzle while it ate.

"Those goggles, they need recharging or something?" Abner decided to change the conversation as he saw the dismay in ianto and was rewarded with a brief smile.

"Kenetic energy. Walking, moving about charges them. Just me carrying them in my hand down to hand to him charged them. Amazing technology really, those aliens were so advanced we must have been like wild monkeys smelling our own butts."

Abner snorted and then tried once more, "If you ever needed me, you know I am here boy. A clutch, or an ear."

"I know" Ianto was touched, taking a clutch as he grabbed Abner in a cuddle and the old man held Ianto with delight as he revelled in the affection.

"So this was nothing to do with a recon?"

"Sort of. Jack thought his body might be changing, it sometimes does due to his uniqueness. Turns out he was worrying about how I might react and if we went on a recon I might relaise he was …changing."

"God, you make it sound like he's preggers" Abner laughed.

Ianto laughed as well. "No, he's not. But sort of the same level of panic."

"Ah. But he's OK?"

"He's grand" Ianto sighed happily, "He has no idea how grand and I try not to tell him as he gets too big for his boots."

"I do, do I?" Jack asked and Ianto swung to find him in the doorway with a soft simle, "What Ianto is trying not to say is that I have the ability to have children and am feaked out that I am currently fertile."

"Shit"

"Yeah. I thought Ianto might be grossed out" Jack grimaced, "A recon would be something a hormonal Jack in a secret panic mood might stuff up."

"By god you are a bloody funny couple. You don't want to upset one another so you upset one another by pussy footing around."

"More or less" Jack grinned, "Now I know I am a twat and we can all agree on it, let's get serious about this recon."

"I want to make sure we have everything we can. This Red Mist is comig, we know it is even if it's for a few days. Then we need to clean it away and I do like the idea of flame throwers to simply scortch the earth. With the stock feed we can affort a good burn of the ground, bring on fresh grass. Sometimes good for the sod."

"You know where we would get some of those?" Jack asked, knowing Ianto had a plan.

"We need to check fire stations, they used them to create fire breaks where it was too hard to dig the dirt, right?" Ianto frowned, "Don't know. Look, we might not find any, we might find something else. Leaf blowers….I don't know. Maybe if we get some engines and use the hoses to blast the red away…who knows. I would just feel better if we had something we can work with."

"And Hazmat suits?" Jack nodded, "They would likely have some of those too. Good idea, I know you want to check out anything else we can lift."

"I'm not worried abuot them discovering us now, they don't care anymore do they" Ianto leaned back and looked into space, "What is left is probably not worth the effort. Those bloody lizards haven't been around in over a month. I think we might see some if we go into the village though. They will be there."

"Then we best be caredul. Also … just us. The thought of losing one of the others would make us both over anxious" Jakc whispered as he felt Ianto move in close, "And someone else might be harder to talk out of leaving something or someone behind. The Gergits will be about."

"Agreed" Ianto sighed, both of them hoping there would be no problems but knowing it was likely.

At least Jack was over his funk.


	6. Henry

Jack looked at Henry with a soft sigh, "Are you sure?"

"Look, I am going stir crazy here. You and Ianto do your own thing and that's fine but if I have to go on a recon can I please come with you this time?" Henry begged "It's like I am fading into the bloody woodwork. I was an active soldier, now….well. I know it's the same for you, I know Ianto is also clamping at the bit. How do you think I feel?"

Jack knew without looking that someone else was there so he asked "What do you think?"

"Well, now Owen has his goggles…Tosh and Abner are handy with their guns and I know Andy is a great shot as well …. I think he will panic and want to stand in front of the kids though… if anything happened here while we were gone Henry wouldn't be able to stop it would he? Would one more person here make things easier or safer while we are gone?" Ianto reasoned, "With us there is an extra person to help lift anything heavy I guess. And like he said, a soldier. Seems silly to have one and not utilise his sills."

"So... horses? Then on foot once we reach the edge of the village." Jack showed agreement in the argument.

"Yeah" Ianto sat and took over the conversation, "We travel along the river bank, it will take us to the village. We do some recon and then when it's dark we move in?"

"If there is a clear path we can move in the light, just before dusk" Jack agreed, "If we are inside the buildings when dark falls and have scoped it out we are more likely to be able to use moonlight if it's a clear night."

"So the weather is a factor" Henry agreed, "I think the full moon is at the weekend? Go then?"

"If it's fine yes. We go hard and fast, the map we have is a good one. Abner was careful when plotting the lay of the land" Jack leaned back, "if we don't use the roads we should be fine. Coming back might be fun though, a four wheel drive engine will do. Those ones for all terrain rescues and bush fires would be good with this being a farming community they are bound to have one for barns and such."

"I also want to check out the smaller stores as the large general store was probably hit when this all happened but those little corner dairy types are more likely to have been closed and locked up. We need all the supplies we can get because one the mist reaches us we will not be reconning for some time. Not just the mist cover but the cleanup will take months I think … some real work ahead to cleanse" Ianto had a pad and pen from somewhere, Jack always amazed at how he did that, writing thing down as they talked. "I think we need to be aware of the fact there might be some animals loose too. Dogs and such. We hopefully won't find any feral dogs but who knows."

"Those bloody Gergits will be the only problem I don't want" Jack shivered, "They must be huge now, let's not forget those cats and dogs and such might have also been food for them. Another reason why I think we will see some in the village itself."

"Ew" Henry pulled a face and Jack laughed softly.

"I want to see how close it is, I want to place a long range sensor for Tosh. I want warning" Ianto said after a while, "If this is successful I want to map all four pole points. I want as early a warning as we can get to button up and hunker down. We have no idea how bad this mist will be, the reports are nothing to seeing and I do not want to get caught in it either."

"Agreed on that mate" Henry pointed at Ianto with the knife he was peeling his apple with, "Sounds like a fucking horrible way to die."

"There are no nice ways" Jack said as he stood and shook himself, the hundreds upon hundreds of past deaths giving him the knowledge that no way to die was good. Ever.

Ianto rose as well, "Henry, we will need three good horses and tack. Saddle bags. We will travel back by vehicle, maybe one of is riding and leading or if slow moving we can tether them to the vehicle or vehicles we choose. Four wheel motorbike might be nice if we find one waiting for us. I think we are safe to start using smaller engines now the mist is covering the place. After all, the sun can't really get through and we will be in a twilight state, they can't see down through it either."

"I hadn't thought of that" Henry said with surprise, "We will have a window to collect that generator from the Faversham farm? If in protective gear from the mist we can move in it right? They can't see us!"

Jack pointed at Henry as he went to leave "Now you're thinking ahead."

They had to rally.


	7. onward

They set out two days later, just as dusk was falling and the horses seems excited to be getting a workout beyond their usual fields, moving quickly along the river bed where the water was shallow.

They reigned in as the village neared and tethered the horses in a corral used for such a purpose, this village used by local farmers. Jack went point, Henry in the middle and Ianto rear guard. Jack had grinned at him in the dark and Ianto had known what he was thinking so he poked out his tongue, revelling in their shared adrenalin.

The fog was rolling in as it always did and as they walked along the main street Ianto scanned constantly for movement, his dislike for the lizards making him jumpy. They slid into the first store, one for farming supplies and in the back warehouse area they found not only a nice quad bike but the trailer for towing was not a flat bed but a deep bowl no doubt for apple picking or something.

"Nice, we can fill this and tether the horses on the back for our return" Jack whispered, motioning at the walls of seed and gardening supplies, "Be sure to include some bags of grass seed. Once we've burn off the red shit we will….Ianto?"

Ianto had been at the door peering out and he jumped back with a gasp, locking the door as he backed away and motioned for them to put out the lights.

"Ianto?"

"Gergits, three of them patrolling" Ianto hissed as he crouched like they might see in. Jack canted his head at the strange behaviour and went to see but Ianto caught his arm, "Don't they might see you."

"Babe, they don't look up" Jack said calmly as he extracted his arm and strode over to stare out, immediately squawking as he shot to his knees and turned to look at Ianto with huge eyes.

"What is it?" Henry was behind the bike, well hidden from any boogey…thing.

"They are the size of fucking alligators" Jack hissed back, "What…I mean….shit. They've never been that big before. They are eating up large."

"Large as in human?" Ianto muttered and frowned and Jack carefully peeked out again.

"Can't see them…shit. What do you suggest we do?"

"Well, I would like to tag them so we know where they are but that gives us away" Ianto sighed, "their handlers will notice one tagged or missing so we need to avoid and control."

"One keeps watch as the other two grab?" Henry shrugged, "I want the pulse rifle. I will help grab as you both have better night vision."

Ianto handed it over, his tattoo burning with silent alarm and he knew that if cornered he wouldn't need that rifle anyway. He had only been carrying it for show.

"Right, we fill this so if we have to go quick it is already done. We can't afford to not have this stuff and it gives those things time to fuck off" Jack ordered and they worked for the next hour filling the trailer and checking the fuel tanks, getting extra fuel and topping it all off with a camo tarp on the trailer, another sitting in the bike. If needed, it might help with any aerial photos drone might take while they were moving.

"Any more camo tarps?" Ianto asked and three more were found, added with rope to tie everything down.

"If you hear a drone stop. Make sure the tarp on you covers the wheels and sit still. Body heat can be hidden with the survival blanket in your pocket, the tarp will do the rest. From the altitude they fly, you will blend in with the riverbank."

"Wait" Ianto fumbled in his pack, "another survival blanket… Shit, here. This needs to be over the engine before you move out. We have to do all we can to hide even if they are not watching we need to assume they always are. Vigilance."

"Agreed" Henry nodded glad to be with a group that not only cared for one another, but seemed to have brains. He knew some other cells were gone, little mistakes, small things overlooked. They had to be careful alright.

"Next?"

"Next building I guess" Ianto shrugged, "Vet clinic or something? Drugs and medical supplies."

"Cool" Henry nodded and hefted his pack, "I have two spare packs in here we can fill, leave for scoop and run back to here."

"Good thinking, we grab these harvesting bags too" Jack patted Henry on the arm, "We leave them next door or take with?"

Henry considered as Jack gave him some control knowing this was good training as well, "Close enough to this one to leave. Even if we come back from another direction we can shoot across the small alley between buildings. I don't' see the point in wasting item carrying shit back here every half hour. Not this close. Maybe if we get across the road we do some carrying back so we have things assembled here but I do think of that 'eggs in one basket' philosophy. Maybe we pick another dump site too? If one in overrun or covered with Gergits we can still salvage something?"

"Agreed"


	8. the fire house

They moved with practiced silence, each building checked and Ianto kept a mental list of goodies as well as that clock ticking away in the corner of his mind telling him they were taking too long, too long by far.

"Jack"

Jack turned to face him, his teeth gleaming through the war paint smeared on his face from the Fishing and Shooting Emporium camouflage display. He was clutching at the extra ammo for his Webley as he held the ladder, Henry currently up said ladder trying to remove the huge net in the display.

"Cariad, we have maybe three hours of dark left, we need to think about shutting down and moving out" Ianto whispered.

"Not…we are barely half way tough" Jack sighed as he looked back up the ladder.

"I know, it will still be here next time and we have so much more than we thought we would have. We need that engine, we need to move to the fire house. You know as well as I do that was the most important thing, we need a way to cleanse."

Jack nodded and then moved to grab Henry as he toppled, soft laughter as he clambered down and started to fold the camo netting.

They checked and moved to the fire house where Ianto found something he hadn't expected. Not at all.

"How do I know you are safe?" the voice growled and Ianto resisted the urge to curse.

"Actually we are not" Henry said with obvious alarm "Those fucking lizards are coming around the corner of the building you twat. Let us in or you will be responsible for what happens out here!"

The door swung in and they all moved to close it, Henry watching covertly out the windows as the huge things lumbered past, then he let out his breath and turned to find the guns trained on them as Jack stood with his arms folded with amusement.

"Shit, you guys OK in here?" Henry blurted, "I mean…shit. You've been here with those fuckers out there each night? Christ, I would have gone nuts."

One of the men lowered his weapon and looked at the other two, "Three on three. I think we can relax a bit guys."

The lone woman seemed more hesitant and lowered hers last, Ianto catching sight of it in the moonlight. "Heddlu Issue."

"I was" she confirmed.

"Ever hear of Torchwood?" Jack asked with pride.

"Those wankers, yeah I remember them." She huffed, "Lot of good they are."

"This is a fixed event" Jack defended angrily, "We can't stop this. It's a bloody alien invasion on a worldwide scale. You really think a little handful of people could have stopped that? I mean… that's your reaction straight away. Yeah. Could have really told them to piss off and they would have high tailed it back to their Verse. Right."

"Stop it" Ianto scolded "Too loud. You wanna bring them back? I don't know about you but I think they probably smell as bad as they look."

Jack looked a bit chagrined and nodded "Sorry Ianto. I am still a prickly."

Ianto turned to face the occupiers, "Look. We came looking for an all terrain engine to take home. The Red Mist is coming and we need a way to wash it away from our house. A nice little engine we can refill from the river and we can hose down the house and building with, maybe you have some flamethrowers …I would really like some of those… and we will go away and leave you to your set up. OK?"

"Wait… you came to boost a rig?"

"Yes. I know you must have a four wheel drive all terrain one for the back farms and such. Barns on fire and shit. We just want that. If you want to be left in peace, no problem, we will not come this way for recons again. We just need something for the aftermath of the next wave."

The woman shifted on her feet and she looked at Henry who was now casually wandering along the rows of hanging gear, "You lost something?"

"Hazmat gear?"

"Out back. We have kits in small grab bags." She said with a gesture of her hand, "The storage room over there is full of them. Why?"

"The Red Mist, it means we can still move around during the attack" Henry said then disappeared behind the door as her hand dropped to her side and she turned back to where the men were still eyeballing one another.

"We might need all these" one said, "Why should we just let you take one? You are already pilfering shit we might need from around us. This is our village"

"You aren't even from here! Cockney London accent" Jack snorted, "You've run this way like we have. Don't make out you have more right than us."

"Excuse me?" the woman walked over and after a moment addressed the one who seemed the most observant, his eyes drinking things in even as he seemed not to move at all, "Excuse me?"

Ianto turned to look at her, his stance one of polite indifference "Yes ma'am?"

She blinked. Wow, lovely voice to go with that arse she had already noticed.

"What Red Mist?"


	9. cull

"Those plants popping up everywhere, those weird little ones we never seen before" Henry explained to them, "They are alien. Those fucking bastards sent them down in the meteor showers. So…we are still debating if it's the second or third wave. I mean…first they came down here and lived amongst us like they were human…then they sent the meteors to incapacitate most of the population, then they rounded us up like sheep. So…the plants are the next offensive. You see, when they mature they give off pollen into the air, it's like a wave of red coming towards you, rolling like it the red death. We are calling it the Red Mist. It settles on everything and the reports we were getting over the radio before the cells stopped responding was that people were becoming sick, dying from contact."

"Shit" the Londoner sat with shock "Are there others still? Cells still communicating?"

Ianto rose, "Loo?"

The woman rose and walked with him. Jack following with interest as he knew Ianto had used the loo at the last place. As they got to the back of the house Ianto turned to her, "Where did you meet him?"

"Ray?"

"Yeah. The other one not saying much is from here, obvious by the way he is bristling that he is from here. This is his place right? He's a local? Territorial." Ianto asked, "You are Heddlu, Welsh like me. Him? You picked him up along the way? How long?"

"He was about one town over actually" she canted her head, "Observant little fucker, aint ya."

"I do notice things" Ianto said softly, "Like your dislike for him. You don't mind the other but he is rubbing you the wrong way."

"He just….seems too nice. Always positive, always eager to please, learn, ask questions" she nodded. "Saccharine."

"OK, Henry didn't say but he was UNIT. The other two soldiers he was with were Huntrall in disguise" Ianto explained gently, "You see, they came here years ago to infiltrate. Look like us, talk like us, act like us but are actually sleepers."

She looked over there again, more alert now, "How do you tell?"

Ianto looked at Jack who held out his hand, Ianto removing the stun gun and placing it in his hand as her eyes widened and they watched Jack walk back to stand behind the two men. Jack calmly tazered the one named Roy.

The Huntrall screamed as it writhed and the local man reacted instantly by seizing the nearby fire axe and swinging it, screaming as well.

Everyone stood in silence.

Then….

"Bummer man. I am not cleaning that up" Ianto muttered. Jack swung to look at him and sniggered.

"Right, well that tears it" Henry said as he checked outside, "Think they heard that?"

"When he doesn't check in with whatever hidden coms he has then they will come either way. Thank fuck he hasn't had time to call us in" Jack poked the body with his boot, "Thoughts darling?"

"Well, I say cut and run. We might be slightly fuckeroonied" Ianto sighed, "They will come looking, then decide to sweep. I don't think we can come back to this village. They will watch it now."

"Piss. So we have three maybe four hours if we are lucky?" Henry spat, "Right. You and Jack go get our shit we've already gathered, I am sorry miss I don't know your name but you know whatever around this place might be good for kids and…"

"Kids? Oh my god, you have kids?" she interrupted with glee.

"We have little ones and they need things. Do you know where there is a childcare or baby care shop? We will go there and get what we can while trying not to get eaten by the things out there…"

"Henry, a good idea but silly you have me and Jack together. I think its best if you and Jack get the supplies already gathered and scan for the lizards. Me and…" Ianto turned to her.

"Amy"

"Amy. Good name. Honest people are called Amy…sorry…right, me and Amy will go scavenge for what else we can get in… two hours max? We meet back here where…" Ianto poked at the local man who was now calm again.

"Lefty" he said, "Sorry it's Lawrence but they all call me…called me Lefty coz I swing with me left."

"Saw that, good swing" Jack sniggered.

"Stop it Cariad" Ianto said as he reached out to touch Jack's arm, then he turned to Amy, "Right you and me go that way, Jack and Henry that way and Lefty can get the rig ready to roll. We need one with a top hose if possible, like for crowd control. Means we can use a hose or the water canon to remove the spores."

"I know what we need, I also know what I want" he answered, "I also want to take my Land Rover."

"Whatever" Jack said, "We can have you drive the rig, Amy looks like a Land Rover kinda gal and Henry can take the four wheeler."

"You you two?"

"Three horses out there, Abner would break his heart if they don't come back" Ianto nodded, "Also, we need to make sure you aren't followed. If they see you and try to follow we can be the ambush."

They moved quickly.


	10. Zappy Amy Girl is Cool

"OK, there is another reason I separated you" Ianto said as he turned to her in the toy store.

"Wanna zap me?"

Ianto sniggered as he nodded, liking her moxie and quick mind. He tazered her and then waited as she came back with a grimace, "God, that hurts."

"Sorry. Gotta be sure" Ianto apologised, "Like I said, we have kids."

"OK" she rose and straightened her clothing, "Let's get to it. We need anything for babies or are they all…what?"

"No but we might. Um…talk of future babies so thanks for reminding me. Yes, we will gather cloth nappies and stuff .. bottles….thank you." Ianto was flustered and she wondered who the lucky lady was, now knowing he was out of bounds. Seems that Jack fella was a bit in love with himself given his body language so that left Henry.

"So…Henry. He got someone waiting for him to come back?"

Ianto hid the smile, subtle…not… then shrugged, "No. He's alone. A good man who loves the kids to death. A good man."

"So… right." She nodded as she considered, then reached for baby monitors, "Hey these would be good to make some intercoms if there is more than one building."

"See? Good minds, these Amy girls" Ianto said and she grinned as she placed them in the pram. "We can fit this somewhere right? Prams are good."

"Yes, Prams are cool" Ianto deadpanned.

Sniggering as they worked for another fifteen minutes then Ianto sobered, "We need to move."

She tuned to see where he was looking and on the horizon there was a faint light.

Dawn.

They got back to the Fire House to find Lefty loading things in to the back of the rig, his face bruised from where he must have hit the ground when Jack tazed him. The camo netting was over the rig and it looked pretty damn good actually. They had been thorough.

"Cariad, room for me pram?"

Jack swung and looked at Ianto, then the pram and he smiled softly as he stepped into Ianto's personal space, drawing him in and kissing him.

"Nice pram ya got there mister" he whispered.

"Prams are cool, we decided" Ianto agreed as he hugged Jack and took another kiss before letting him go.

Amy was shocked then she snorted while she watched Jack's grin of affection as he reached for the pram. "God, all the best ones are taken or gay."

"I'm omnisexual" Jack corrected, "I would have a go at anything with a pulse…wait….well there was one time…"

"Jack. Don't terrorise her" Ianto scolded and Jack laughed as he loaded more gear.

"Right you lot head out, Ianto and I will follow" Jack said as he watched Henry head next door for the four wheeler then he turned to Amy, "He's not taken and I swear to god, he is ready to explode for the want of a good going over."

"Jack!" Ianto barked, then laughed as he shoved at him, her face showing her humour as well.

"So, I follow Henry" she called back, "Watch that arse all the way back do I?"

Laughter as they all got ready to roll, Ianto and Jack hanging on the back of the rig. They would get off at the horses.

The doors came up as the motorbike roared past and they swung out, Amy showing herself to indeed be a Land Rover Kinda Gal with an expert swing of the wheel. Ianto looked around the side of the rig and saw the lizards down a side street as they slowly turned to see them, then start to gallop after them, Jack laughing at the weird sight of them running.

"They are gonna be so pissed they missed us" he called to Ianto and both men stood on the back of the rig watching them blast into the street and look around with confusion, then refocus and lumber after them, slowly getting smaller until they disappeared.

"Wonder how long they will run" Jack called.

"Long enough to remember the direction, Good thing we turn left up ahead before heading home. Stupid fucks will keep going straight."

More laughing as he turned back and when the horses came into view they slowed and the two men jump off, Jack slapping the back of the rig so it would speed up again.

"Hey there guys, did ya miss us?" Jack called and the horse ambled over with a disinterested chewing of grass like it was saying 'oh, did you go somewhere' then it farted.

"OK. That one is clearly yours" Ianto snorted.

They rode in silence, keeping an eye out and listening for anything around them. They checked there were no tracks left by the vehicles and despite the worry that there might be a problem they reached the end of the line at the turn from the river to the homestead to find the vehicles waiting, Henry with the brains to stop them and wait in case there was a tail so they didn't lead them home.

"We all good?" Henry called as he stood up on the bike.

Jack waved and Henry nodded, then kicked the bike's kick started, firing it up and heading for home as the others followed.

Ianto was cold, tried and his feet hurt.

He was glad to be home.


	11. water babies

Ianto was in the hot tub.

He didn't want to wait for the debrief, the questions and conversation deciding that the others were well capable of creating noise and bluster. He was tired. He sighed as the water moved and opened one eye to catch Clyde eagerly clambering in naked as a jay bird, his face one of joy as he slithered over for a cuddle.

"Hey stink" Ianto said softly, pulling the boy into his lap, glad he had his own boxers on at least.

"You brought me back stuff" the little boy said gleefully.

"Yep. You have to share though. Owen might get the pip otherwise" Ianto whispered and Clyde sniggered as he settled and laid his head on Ianto's shoulder.

"I was a bit scared" the little boy said after a while, "You was gone all night."

"Were" Ianto corrected, "I was bricking it a bit at the end too, we took about half an hour too long. Gotta be more aware next time."

"Next time?"

"Well, Aunty Tosh reckons if we put sensors at all four corners of our little piece of paradise we can better be ready for the Red Mist" Ianto explained, "I don't know if we will see anyone else though. I think these people are the last of them in this area and we couldn't leave them, the mist would have got them for sure."

"Yeah. Uncle?"

"Yes love?" Ianto asked, opening his eyes as Amy appeared with a look of undisguised lust as she scrambled up in her t-shirt and knickers to slide into the hot water with a groan of glee. "Been a while?"

"The shower was nice but….ahhhhhhh" she sighed.

"Uncle, can I play in the fire engine?"

"We need to have a lesson first on what you can and can't touch OK? Once we are all sure what is and isn't allowed I see no reason why you and your sister can't play fireman in it." Ianto agreed, "No shooting with the canon though, you know Uncle Owen will go too far and shoot a sheepie or something."

Sniggering as the child thought about that, Ianto's hands stroking his back as Amy watched, then her eyes saw something she hadn't noticed before "Crazy tat."

"You have no idea" Ianto smiled softly, "This tattoo is unlike anything you've seen."

"I'm just blown away that this place exists. I did hope...thought some doomsday preppers might have made it ya know? But the fear that they were all discovered….god." She let her head fall back then a squeak had Ianto opening his eyes to find a naked Captain calmly climbing into the water to slide around and settle against him.

"Hey, you OK?" Jack whispered as he kissed him and winked at the child.

"Uncle Jack, I'm nakers too"

"Awesome" Jack agreed, "I still have to convince everyone else to have Neekid Days but I think we should all try harder to flop about a bit."

Clyde giggled and Ianto rubbed the little back and shoulders some more then Clyde stood to get out, his need for attention satiated. "I'm gonna go make butter."

"Good man" Ianto said as he leaned into Jack and allowed a cuddle there too, Jack kissing his forehead as he held him.

"A certain little one is looking for you too, Roe is muttering and looking behind curtains" Jack warned Ianto who snorted and nodded rising to get out.

"I will let him have cuddles in the fireside bed" Ianto said as he yawned and stretched, Amy now seeing the intricate pattern that grew from the arm and seemed to cover his back like armour…or wings. It must have taken hours upon hours to have done and was so finely created that god knows what it had cost.

Then as Ianto turned to get out it seemed to move, shimmer. Trick of the light kinda thing.

Jack watched Ianto get down and reach for a towel, then rub his hair with it, the shoulder blades undulating under the skin and again the tattoo moved, changing in colour from green to brass, then red and gold before returning to green.

"It knows you are looking at it" Jack whispered, "It's protective. It's warning you that it is sentient."

Finally she got it and gaped as Ianto reached for a robe and the tattoo shrunk done the shoulder to rest along the forearm.

"It's a weapon" Jack said once Ianto had gone inside, "Alien tech. It will protect him from hurts, keep him alive and has several times already. If we are ever in the shit, grab the kids and get behind him. Don't worry about me, OK? Let me die, don't blink or think twice about me. Get behind him because he is your last line of defence and he will defend you like a dragon defending it's hoard."

She nodded as she wondered if the strength in the words were worthy.

Somehow, she found it all believable.


	12. Hope can be a scary thing

Ianto had pulled PJ bottoms on and climbed into the big bed everyone shared in front of the fire with the children when trying to encourage Roe to have an afternoon nap. Little Jethro was beyond pleased to find Ianto and was soon in his arms stoking the tattoo as his face nuzzled the pillow, Ianto's lips on the back of his head to comfort.

"You OK stinky?"

"You gone"

"I know you don't like it when I am gone. It's scary when someone is gone because the day if different. You don't like different" Ianto said gently as he spooned the child, "But we have work to do and sometimes that means having to go for a while. We do come back, have we ever not come back? Aye?"

Roe grunted.

Ianto lay with him until he was asleep and then slid out to let Owen in, his face full of love as he pulled off the goggles and settled for a little mid-morning cat nap. Owen had clearly not slept while they had been gone, I doubt anyone had bar the children and they were all dog tired. Jack knew Ianto was as beat as he was and he looked over to find Amy already in a bed asleep, a cat watching her intently.

He rose and went to see where the others were and found Henry and Lefty deep in conversation, a Dalmatian sitting silently by Lefty with a bored expression and Jack started as he realised it must have come with the man.

"Nice dog" he said as he came up to the men and they both turned with smiles.

"Smudge" Lefty said happily, "My boy. He was asleep in the rig and I totally forgot to warn you I had him."

"What's a Fire House without a dog" Jack shrugged, "The other dogs will enjoy a new pack member."

"I see ya have cats too, I like cats"

"Me too" Jack smiled, "Well Amy is asleep and I m gonna take Ianto up to our private quarters for some sleep. Henry, I take it you will sort Lefty?"

"Yeah, yeah. Come on buddy we will sort you a bed in the main room or if you rather there is the barn. None of us sleep out here but it is warm if you don't like the idea of being a hippy with the rest of us. I was considering the barn meself when Roe has his grizzling stages I tell ya."

"So…this tunnel snake here, clever. So we can get to the stock and house without having the red stuff land on us?" Lefty looked appreciatively at the sheep bouncing about in the field.

"Meat eater?" Henry smiled "Smell."

Lefty did and his eyes widened, "Is that bacon?"

They entered the house to find breakfast was being sorted, Jack taking a pate with two bacon butties up for Ianto as he chewed on one and Rhys gestured at the table.

"Come on you two, I got Amy earlier and I know Ianto would slip past but you two come and eat a proper breckie before you have a rest after all that work. Like bloody Batman up all night running about" Rhys boomed and Lefty knew he liked this man.

"So…who are you with then?" Lefty asked, "I was a bit surprised to see the sergeant major there had the young Welshman warming his bed."

"Jack is a Captain actually" Andy said as he settled with a grin, "Rhys is mine. I mean…ah…"

Both men blushed and grinned at one another then Rhys explained, "Jack was a real Captain in the Air Force. Him and Ianto worked together with my girlfriend. She didn't make it. Andy and her worked together before she went to work with them and Jack. Owen is a doctor and Toshiko was their tech support."

"And they were?"

"Torchwood" Andy said as he reached for a jug of milk, stirring his cup of tea, "Jack was their leader. Ianto is the one to watch if ya ask me. He has his finger on the pulse, always did. Even Jack will admit they couldn't do anything without him smooching around in the background."

"So…the pram and baby things are for Owen and Tosh?" Lefty asked as he settled back "Seems a nice pair. Were they before?"

"Nah. Apparently too scared ot admit it to one another, this end of the world thing makes ya take stock, ya know?" Andy sighed softly, "Jack knows something about this….his connections warned of it but not when or how it would start so… he knows we are mightily fucked for a while."

"Define a while."

"Three or four years he said. Then there is something going to happen to fix it or something. He doesn't like to give away the secret shit he knows but the way Ianto reacted…he wasn't bullshitting. You can tell with Ianto, he has this way of looking at Jack and you know when he is freaking him out." Rhys poured some more milk into his coffee, "Like I said. He's the real one to watch. Clever bastard that."

Lefty nodded.

He had a lot to consider here. He hadn't considered surviving all this.


	13. still plotting

Jack knew Ianto was awake as the hand stroked his forearm lovingly, a sign Ianto was thinking and Jack felt like he was a huge comfort rug or fluffy cat being stroked by the madman about to concoct a cunning plan.

"What are you thinking Tiger?" he couldn't help himself.

"The loft."

"Huh?" OK, unexpected.

"We have three…maybe soon four couples looking for somewhere to enjoy each other without the babans peeking" Ianto said as he considered some more, "That loft in the barn is warm, airy even with the tenting over it, nice and comfortable. A good place for a nest."

"To…make some chickies?"

Ianto sniggered and wriggled back into Jack more, reconnecting their bodies, "A love shack. Yeah. Andy and Rhys are still exploring…Tosh and Owen. You can not admit the thought of us having some alone time up there hasn't occurred to you…we have this haven. What do they have? For now they can retreat to their cabins, they can go for a walk and do it like wild animals in the woods."

Jack sniggered and kissed that long neck, "And?"

"And once the Red Mist is here we will be trapped. How long before blue balls gets someone?" Ianto whispered as Jack sniggered some more, knowing his love was right.

"So, the loft?"

"Yeah…if the ladder is up, so is something else?"

Both men sniggering now, giggles and moans as mouths met and hands explored, Jack knowing Ianto only wanted happiness for all and this wonderful feeling was something that no one had the right to deny another couple of enjoying as well.

Finally Ianto was asleep and Jack lay there considering things, Ianto was right of course. The one big room was a good idea when they were in the throes of winter…and the Mist cloud coming but the children would go stir crazy again and now there were more people in the one space.

By the time Ianto stirred Jack had an idea.

"Ianto? That huge porch. Why don't we cover it in and turn it into a room? Also, the dressing rooms out the side for the kids that were used as changing rooms to go down to the river, we had a boys and girls toilet area as well as the loo under the stairs, right? Three loos? Do we need three?"

Ianto rolled to face him and hummed with interest so Jack pushed on, "I mean if we create walls so the loos are still accessible but a wall and door for the changing rooms, gut them….bedrooms? Two rooms plus the porch? That would be three bedrooms?"

Ianto blinked slowly.

"Owen and Tosh in one, Andy and Rhys in another. If Henry and Lefty look like they might have a go…why are you laughing?"

"Amy… Henry and Amy love."

"Really? Huh." Jack snorted at himself for forgetting Ianto's work there "Well, they can have the big front porch. That means Bonny and the kids can still be in the main room down there with Abner and Lefty but we all have a little privacy if that pram is gonna get some use?"

"Cariad, shut up and fuck me please" Ianto purred and Jack forgot everything else as he felt that lovely dick thrusting against his inner thigh, Ianto's eyebrow rising in question.

As if he might not be up for it? Cheeky.

.

.

.

.

.

Lefty sat in the barn watching the little ones playing with the kittens and he shook his head with wonder, sure the end of the world was finally here he had said his goodbyes and prepared for the day his brains met the wall... Now Abner was arguing with Owen as they hung hazmat suits in the tack room and Clyde ran past with a fireman helmet on making a siren noise.

Could it be this simple?

Simply wait out the end of the world and wait for the reset?

Really?

He rose as a little one fell over. Dawn was starting to cry as he picked her up and he crooned as he jiggled her on his hip and whispered that the silly rope she tripped over was horrible and should be sorry. He then picked the rope up and flicked it on a hook, turning slowly to find Bonny watching him.

"Sorry about that, she's not being grizzly is she?"she asked and he smiled softly as he shook his head.

"I love kids, always thought… you know. Never met the right woman" he shrugged, "But this princess, if only I were younger I would snap her up."

Dawn smiled as she hugged him back and Bonny shifted on the balls of her feet as she finally felt something stirring.

What had Ianto and Jack brought her home?

Well now, not even Christmas and more than she might have wished for.

She found herself blushing at her decadent thoughts.

She decided to watch and see.


	14. planning

"Well we don't know until we try so…where is it closest?" Owen asked as he posed the question they were all thinking anyway.

"About a day that way" Henry pointed to the west, "That bloom looks thick and is heading thankfully past not towards."

"So… we drive there and find somewhere that is not in the line of spread and is out of range from being hit so we can walk in, do our testing and walk back to rest before coming home. We will be looking at probably at least two days away, more like three." Tosh was tapping the table as she made each point. "The flame thrower as well as the fire engine….so you will need to take the rig. A bit obvious isn't it? We will have to travel by road."

"No" Lefty said as he leaned forward, "The fire house there has a canon on their crowd control rig. We can get in and pinch that if the mist is not there yet. Then drive the hour or so to the mist, try the experiments and withdraw."

"So we need Lefty and Tosh. Owen. That will leave Henry here with Bonny, Andy and Rhys and Ab to mind the stinks" Jack considered, "Five of us. Huh. Funny, my teams always see to fall into a five."

"Good number" Ianto nodded as he wondered if Jack was uneasy with that number, "Easy to control, maintain contact with and if we have to retreat we can watch each other better."

So… we want to test the flame thrower because?" Lefty asked.

"So if it ignites the air as well we know before we blow the place up" Owen replied, "I mean…will it just burn away the red shit or will it be like gun powder and go with a bang."

"Shit" Lefty leaned back, "Good question."

"I think Henry will want to come" Ianto said suddenly, "The last one…he was good to have and he is a trained soldier. He enjoyed feeling part of a team again."

"So, go get him then" Jack nodded and he watched Ianto rise, walking off to find a sixth member, then he turned to Lefty, "Ianto is the one to listen to if I am not around, got it? If I fall or die, do not falter. Go with his orders, do not be upset if he shows no fear or grief. Things are not always what they seem."

Lefty nodded, remembering the others warning him that Ianto and Jack had tricks up their sleeves and Henry came with Ianto to settle in a chair, Abner as well.

"Right. We want to travel about five hours that way to some homestead we can find. Or hopefully the firehouse, that works well if we can be another two or three hours from the Red Mist like we are expecting. We take the rig from there to the mist and experiment on our ideas, retreat back when done with time to rest before we then travel home with what we have learnt" Jack explained calmly, "If the fire doesn't work we will know and not waste our time when it reaches us. We can also measure the rate of travel, see how long it will take to get to us, how long it is likely to stay and hopefully if we leave sensors they will help us determine when it has passed."

"We can do all this?" Amy asked from the doorway.

"Yes. We can place sensors that can help us a lot with measuring and calculating our coverage" Tosh nodded.

"I would like to help but…"

"I know. We need to keep it as lean and dirty as we can. You staying here is more help, Bonny cannot wield a gun as she is scared of them and Abner is in need of extra hands here. The bloody lizards might come visit, anything." Ianto cut her off "Besides, when we get back we will be fucked for the next 24 hours, more than we were with the last recon. This is further and more risk. We are going to the source of the danger."

"But you will beat it back?"

"At the moment we think we have another month, maybe two before it hits. We need to be more certain, we need to know when to hunker down. The last thing we need is a gust of wind to take us by surprise." Tosh explained.

"When do we go?" Henry asked.

"I want to have another day before we go, little Roe is gonna be pissed for sure" Ianto sighed as he rubbed his face, "this is important though, we don't have time to dally. This will be on us before we know it."

"Agreed" Jack patted his arm affectionately. "A day to prepare is a good idea, also gives Owen another day to test the flame thrower. No point getting there and the bloody thing misfires."

Ianto smiled as he nodded, knowing Jack was backing him up and he realised he wanted that day too.

A day together.

Before they go out and risk everything again.


	15. wild thing

Jack watched Ianto wearily pull at his clothing then he stepped in to help, a gently kiss of comfort before they slipped into the bedding.

"We need as many cat naps as we can get" Jack whispered as he held Ianto tightly, "We will not sleep while we are gone, we both know we will be on alert. This Mist is getting too close, it will be on us before we know it."

"We need a cull too, at least three sheep and a cow" Ianto sighed softly, "Hang the meat while we are gone, Abner can show Rhys how to butcher it into meal lots. They will like having something to do. We need that meat smoked and hung in the meat safe before it hits the fan too, it will be impossible to keep the kids out of the barn for a kill. They will count heads and carry on. This is the last chance to kill a few without them twigging."

"You think of them in everything" Jack smiled as his hands gently caressed, "Sleep love. You know I can't if you don't."

Both men lay and enjoyed the warmth of one another, that niggle in the back if Ianto's mind that he would have liked a good solid seeing to but that was not likely to happen. He tried not to sigh again.

"What is it?"

"Thinking of the loft, that little love nest" Ianto whispered.

"Maybe Andy and Amy can work on that?" Jack whispered, "Help them feel like they can use it with their respective mates then?"

Ianto didn't answer and Jack found it sweet as he looked down and found Ianto had fallen asleep nuzzled against him, his hand curled on his chest as he breathed deeply. Jack wondered if he should have offered sex but was so damn tired and knew some reaffirming sex when they woke might please his sweet Tiger.

He went over the list of things Ianto had written down and knew Ianto was micromanaging everything like he always did, this threat of the Red Mist scaring the bejesus out of him. Jack also knew his fear was for the little ones, already considered his.

Jack reluctantly let go and drifted with his lover, the need to complete these tasks weighing on them both and neither of them would really sleep until all the sensors were up and they were ready for whatever was coming their way, be it Red Mist, Lizards or Huntrall.

Let's not forget those fuckers.

.

.

.

.

Jack woke to an empty side of the bed and sighed, sitting up and peering about to see if Ianto was just in the loo…boots gone. Bum. Jack sighed and felt around for his pants, heading down to find it was late afternoon and Ianto was outside sitting in the sun watching the children dance about in the garden.

"Hey tiger"

Ianto looked over at him and smiled, shading his eyes from the sun as he watched him approach.

"Whatcha doing" Jack asked and Ianto snorted at the Owenism.

"Tosh and Owen are collecting wildflowers to hang and dry in the barn, she hopes when we are 'sequestered' as she put it, the colour will help with the cabin fever we shall all have to endure" Ianto explained, "Rhys and Andy are getting vegetables read for the evening meal, These ones have worn their poor mother out and she is napping while Henry pulls the beds about in there for some reason I don't think I want to know. Amy and Lefty are still skinning out the rig and making it more child friendly and…who did I miss?"

"Abner?"

"Over there" Ianto pointed, "He has found a mole hill. Can't remember if it's been there before and is doing a long think as he stares at it. It's old, I know it was here when we got here, I think he is just tired."

"And you?"

"Trying not to go over the list" Ianto sighed and Jack sat, hugging him and letting his head rest on Ianto's shoulder as they watched the children play.

"Those wildflowers were a good idea" Jack muttered after a while, "Bet they get grass stains on their undies."

Ianto sniggered as he leaned back into the hug and agreed they were probably enjoying some neekid time where the kids could not see. They really had to sort out those rooms. Once they were in lockdown things could get ugly if they could not bump uglies…if ya know what I mean.

"Come on lover" Jack whispered after a while, "Let's go hang some hooks in the barn for those wild flowers"

They headed to the barn and began to bend fencing wire into hooks that could hang in the rafters with bunches of wildflowers hung upside down to dry. The roof would look festive for a while and the scent would be lovely too.

Ianto wondered if there would be any wild roses out there, his mama had loved roses.

Then Roe came in with a look of woe and his hand held up like it might fall off, the sad lttle face as he told them he had fallen and killed his hand adorable.

"Poor little Roe" Ianto crooned as he lifted the child to his hip and walked towards the house, kissing a tearstained little cheek, "Let's see if Uncle Ianto can fix it. Shame if it has to be cut off or something."

"I would need one of those hooks" the child shakily guessed and Ianto laughed, the Peter Pan story book had a great illustration of Hook. This one was a little bugger for sure as he now saw the Gergits as crocodiles and himself as the Captain Hook, then Ianto whispered in his ear.

"But Jack is the Captain. He might get angry if you take his title. Besides" he sat at the table and adjusted the now weepy and no longer howling child, "maybe this is not Never Never Land at all."

"No?"

"No" Ianto smiled, "Maybe this is more like the story about the little boy in the world of monsters. Where the wild things are. The only question we have to determine is if you want to be the little boy or a Wild Thing."

Roe regarded Ianto and grinned, "Wild!"

"Cool. Me too, let's go to the dress up box and be Wild Things. I bet that afro wig would look monster on you!"

The little one rushed off, his boo-boo long forgotten as he became a little monster to race about snarling and roaring with glee, the others joining in. Rhys accepted the loss of the colander with good grace as Dawn needed it for a helmet…apparently that monster likes to slam into things and needed protection.

Nuttas.


End file.
